Closure for mail-pouches



No. 749,876. PATENTED JAN. 19, 1904.

' J. L. MQCORMIGK.

CLOSURE FOR MAIL POUGHES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented January 19, 1904.

JOHN L. MCCORMICK, OF EMDEN, ILLINOIS.

CLOSURE FOR MAIL-POUCHES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 749,876, dated January 19, 1904.

Application filed August 27, 1903.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN L.-MoCoRMIoK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Emden, in the county of Logan and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Closures for Mail-Pouches; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has reference to a self-locking head for mail-pouches; and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement ofthe frame parts comprising such head to permit the locking of the parts thereof, which will be more fully hereinafter described, and. pointed. out in the claims.

The object of the invention is to providea mail-pouch which will resist undue efforts to open the same and to extract letters therefrom, the parts thereof being simple and effective in their construction and operation, strong and durable, easily handled, readily understood and operated, and cheap in manufacture, and, further, to avoid the use of padlocks, clasps and staples, straps, &c., employed in one way and another on the usual styles of pouches.

I attain the objects herein by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a top plan View of the frame parts comprising the headof the pouch. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the head, the bag or pouch shown in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on the line Y Y of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the head as it appears when closed.

The mail-bag is illustrated in dotted lines appearing in Figs. 2 and 3 to show its relative arrangement to the improved head' therefor and may be constructed in the ordinary form of bag and of material generally used for such bags, and the same is indicated as 1.

2 and 3 indicate metallic head-plates placed opposite each other of suitable length and depth, and to the opposite corners of each plate and disposed in avertical plane beneath upon their outer faces.

Serial No. 170,917. (No model.)

said ends are pivoted or hinged the free ends of the plates 4 on the studs 5, designed to swing inwardly in a plane parallel to the first-mentioned plates and beneath the same. The plates 4 are each provided with the hinged joint 6, sustained by the studs 7 and provided with the matching and abutting legs 8, which when meeting determine and regulate the opening of the head as the parts are extended.

The plates 2, 3, and 4 are designed to be of the same thickness, but may be otherwise, and the arrangement of the opposite ends of the plates 2and 3 is to provide the pivots orstuds 5 As will be noted, the plates 4 being adapted to fold inward, drawing the bag therewith, (as it is understood the head of the bag proper is suitably attached to the plates 2, 3, and 4,) and it being my aim and one of the objects of this invention to bring the matching faces of the plates 2 and 3contiguous, (see Fig. 4,) I must provide to permit the plates 4 to fold beneath the lower edges of the plates 2 and 3, so providing the pivots 5 upon the outside of the ends of the plates 2 and 3 and the hinging of the free ends of the plates 4 beneath the same. The plates 4 when folding inward upon their pivots or hinges will bring the plates 2 and 3 contiguous and the plates 4 folded beneath the same.

For the purpose of retaining the inner hinged ends of the plates 4 in arelatively fixed position with reference to the plates 2 and 3 when closed andto prevent their bulging that portion of the bag adjacent upon opposite sides, I have provided the depending lugs or plates 9 of the plates 2 and 3, (see Figs. 2 and 3,) against which the inner ends of the plates 4 abut when the parts are folded and which retain them in a relatively fixed position, as suggested.

To the outer face of the plate 2 is secured a casing 10, inclosing a suitable form of springcatch, (not shown,) and adapted to automatically lock with such catch when the plates 2 and 3 are brought contiguous are studs or bolts 11, extending laterally and inwardly from the plate 3, which will pass through perforations provided in the plate 2. Uniform locks and keys may be employed, so that any one key inserted through the casing 10 in the usual manner will release the bolts 11 and permit the parts of the head to be separated somewhat in the manner shown in Fig. 1.

12 indicates a strap secured to the outer face of plate 3, by means of which the bag may be supported or suspended for the purpose of filling the same with mail-matter.

Any minor changes which would not materially aflect the construction of my improvement may be made and substituted for those shown and described without in the least departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

The utility and adaptability of my improvement being obviously apparent, it is unnecessary to further enlarge upon the same.

Having thus fully described my invention, WhatI claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A closure for mail-bags, comprising a pair of main plates, and two pairs of hinged end plates, each pair of end plates having their free ends pivoted to the ends of the main plates at right angles thereto and adapted to fold inwardly in the same longitudinal direction of said main plates and beneath the same.

2. A closure for mail-bags, comprising a pair of oppositely-disposed main plates, and two pairs of end plates hinged together, their free ends pivoted to matching ends of the oppositely-disposed main plates, the pivotal connections between the said end and main plates being at points removed from the outer faces of the said main plates, and the end plates lying beneath the main plates to permit the same to fold in planes parallel with the main plates and thereby bring the matching faces of the main plates contiguous.

3. A closure for mail-bags, comprising oppositely disposed main plates, hinged end plates having their free ends pivoted to the ends of the main plates at right angles thereto and adapted to fold inwardly in planes parallel with the main plates and beneath the same, and means on the main vplates for holding the end plates in a relatively fixed position when the main plates are contiguous.

4. A closure for mail-bags, comprising a pair of oppositely-disposed main plates, and two pairs of end plates hinged together, their free ends pivoted to matching ends of the oppositely-disposed main plates, the pivotal connections between the said end and main plates being at points removed from the outer faces of the main plates and the end plates lying beneath the main plates to permit the same to fold in planes parallel with the main plates and thereby bring the matching faces of the main plates contiguous, and depending lugs from the bodies of the main plates with which the bodies of the end plates abut, as and for the purposes set forth.

5. A closure for mail-bags, comprising oppositely disposed main plates, hinged end plates having their free ends pivoted to the ends of the main plates at right angles thereto and adapted to fold inwardly in planes parallel with the main plates and beneath the same, means on the main plates for holding the end plates in a relatively fixed position when the main plates are contiguous, and locking members of said main plates arranged in manner described and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN L. MCCORMICK.

Witnesses:

C. E. STONE, CHAs. W. LA PORTE. 

